The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has floated a request for selection for solar power developers to set up 275 MW of grid-connected solar power projects in the state’s solar park.

The last date for the submission of bids is March 1, 2021. Bidders must submit a performance bank guarantee of ₹1.05 million (~$14,369)/MW of capacity quoted.

The projects must be set up at five locations across the Jalaun and Kanpur Dehat districts in the state. The details are furnished below:

The scope of work requires developers to set up solar projects. They are expected to acquire all necessary approvals, permits, and clearances from the state government and local bodies.

The interconnection delivery point must be at the grid substation from the generator’s substation or switchyard transmission line. This will be within the scope of work of the solar park implementing agency – the Lucknow Solar Power Development Corporation Limited.

The scheduled commissioning date for the project’s full capacity will be 15 months from the date of the power purchase agreement (PPA). A six-month extension with applicable liquidated damages is applicable. The project must achieve financial closure within nine months from the date of the PPA.

The project’s declared annual capacity utilization factor (CUF) must not be less than 17%. Developers are expected to maintain generation to keep the CUF within 10% over or 15% under the declared value for the first ten years. After this, they must maintain a CUF of 15% and not generate electricity more than 10% over the CUF or less than 15% lower until the 25-year PPA’s expiry.

To be eligible to participate in the competitive bidding process, applicants must have a net worth greater than ₹7 million (~$95,794)/MW of quoted capacity as of the last date of the preceding financial year.

The cells and modules used in the project must be sourced from the models and manufacturers included in the “Approved List of Models and Manufacturers”.

According to Mercom’s India Tender Tracker, UPNEDA has floated 4.275 GW of utility-scale project tenders as of December 2020.

In November 2020, Bundelkhand Saur Urja Limited, a joint venture of NHPC Limited and UPNEDA, issued a tender for consultants to create a detailed project report for a 1.2 GW solar park in Jalaun.

In March 2019, the Solar Energy Corporation of India issued a tender for setting up of cumulative capacity of 275 MW of grid-connected solar power projects in the Uttar Pradesh Solar Park.